VanSuch picks up the pieces in Campbell, earns voter support

Campbell is digging its way out of a couple of tumultuous years after it replaced a long-time mayor, Jack Dill, with a short-lived newcomer, George Krinos, who resigned without completing his term.

Voters now have a choice between two veteran city politicians: one with ties to Dill, the other with ties to Krinos.

William VanSuch, who was president of council when Krinos resigned, is now the mayor, and has brought Dill back as his administrator.

Challenging him is Lewis Jackson Jr., who was Krinos’ administrator, and became a 4th Ward councilman following VanSuch’s elevation to mayor.

They are facing off after a nonpartisan primary in which VanSuch receive 704 votes; Jackson, 626, and a third candidate Nick Opencar, 431. The city has 6,489 registered voters, so the primary numbers can hardly be seen as a predictor of success or failure in the general election.

VanSuch, 70, retired from the city as director of administration in 2003. He was council president from 1990 to 2000 and then again from 2004 until January,

Jackson, 67, retired as a supervisor at Cold Metal Products. He was city administrator under both Dill and Krinos and became 4th Ward councilman after that ward’s representative, Juanita Rich, was appointed council president in January to replace VanSuch. He was also a 4th Ward councilman from 1999 to 2004.

Things in common

Both men have experience in city government and knowledge of the city and its people.

In their endorsement interviews at The Vindicator, both spoke of the need to utilize the city’s assets and attract jobs to the city. Both even spoke about one potential project that was the same, the development of a dental facility on Route 422.

VanSuch, however, deserves credit for coming to office under challenging circumstances and attempting to return the city to normalcy. He notes that he renegotiated a pact with police officers that will save the city $40,000 and is working to improve the city’s ISO rating, upon which property insurance rates paid by city residents are based.

Given the dysfunction that accompanied Krinos’ abbreviated service, VanSuch has demonstrated to our satisfaction his fitness for election.

His tapping Dill as his administrator was a smart move, although one that certainly gave Jackson added incentive to challenge him.

We believe the city has been well-served by VanSuch since January and that when voters go the polls Nov. 8 they should recognize that with their votes.